I tell the person I won't take a picture or sign the autograph, but I will shake their hand. That kind of personal touch is all they're really seeking.

There are very few solid family films. A lot of the writing is awful.

Break as few bones as possible and make as much noise as you can.

Any good actor has to have a good sense of humour, too; they have to be able to manipulate people.

I was very involved in political satire, and I'd been writing parody for 'Mad' and 'National Lampoon,' so I made up some strange story about Gerald Ford.

The best comedy I ever did was when people didn't know who I was.

What's funny is funny. The same thing that made you laugh a hundred years ago makes you laugh now.

The fact was, Ford kept stumbling around. I didn't want him in the White House. I wanted Carter in, and I had a forum of 20 million people watching.

I have three daughters. I wanted them to be raised where there are real seasons and where everyone their age wasn't trying to get into movies.

What interests me is being alive and being with friends that I care about and being as creative as I can given circumstance.

Yes, I've seen Louis CK. I wouldn't in any way make a degrading remark about Louis CK, but the question is do I think anyone is funny? And the answer is not too many people. He might fit right in there.

I was a young, new, hot star, and I had this unbelievable arrogance. As time went on, the strident narcissism and arrogance slowly diminished. But I was definitely there. I'm older now. And a big crybaby.

All preconceptions when you laugh go out the window. Laughter kills it.

A laugh is a surprise. And all humor is physical. I was always athletic, so that came naturally to me.

'Weekend Update' can be presented as a full 20-minute sketch, and there's a lot of room there.

Comparing 'Christmas Vacation' to 'It's A Wonderful Life' is the silliest thing. That film starred the greatest movie actor of all time, and the idea that our movie could ever be connected in some fashion to something so brilliant and beautiful always made feel like, 'That's all they had to write about?'

All those car battles with my brother Ned were excellent training. Even now, on the set, if we're getting into a vehicle, I'll yell 'shotgun' first. Thus forcing Steve Martin into the back of the car.

Live a life of grace. You'll be a better person for it, and so will your children.

When you stop to realize that Abraham Lincoln was probably never seen by more than 400 people in a single evening, and that I can enter over 40 million homes in a single evening due to the power of television, you have to admit the situation is not normal.

I'm Chevy Chase, and you're not.

I turned down 'American Gigolo.' There are many films - like 'Ghostbusters' - that I turned down... The first one I did was 'Foul Play' with Goldie Hawn, but I turned down 'Animal House' - I turned that down.

It's never a good idea for a celebrity to sign autographs or take pictures if a crowd is gathering.

I've always loved the 'Weekend Update' people.

Parrots make great pets. They have more personality than goldfish.